Dennis suspect linked to more breaks

DENNIS — A man arrested Thursday in connection with a break-in at a local business has been linked to several residential and business break-ins in the area, police said Friday.

Police executed a search warrant at the Dennisport residence of Justin Emerald, 30, and found more than $10,000 worth of items believed to have been stolen from Mid-Cape homes or businesses, according to Detective Christine Hornby.

Items recovered from his home included jewelry, watches, silverware, coins, baseball cards, small electronics, DVDs and video games. Also found were tools police said could have been used in committing some of the crimes, including pliers, leather gloves, hammers, flashlights, binoculars, a headlamp and a replica handgun.

"We do believe we can link him to residential and commercial breaks," Hornby said.

Since Sept. 1, there have been 187 residential and business break-ins in Dennis.

There may be more charges coming for Emerald, Hornby said, and there's a "strong possibility" another person is involved with him in committing the crimes.

A rash of break-ins Jan. 9 and Jan. 15 at Yarmouth businesses around White's Path have gone unsolved. Hornby said there is no evidence linking Emerald to those break-ins at this time, but there could be in the future. The areas of Dennis and Yarmouth where the break-ins occurred are about three miles apart.

Emerald was arrested Thursday after an alarm was triggered at All Cape Fence and police found him crawling on the ground at the nearby Pro Fence Co. along Upper County Road. He was dressed in black, wearing a mask and carrying a backpack of burglary tools, police said.

Emerald pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Orleans District Court on Thursday to one count each of armed burglary, breaking and entering in the night, larceny and possession of burglary tools and two counts of attempted breaking and entering.

The armed burglary charge was related to a break-in at the South Dennis home of an 81-year-old woman. She was awakened by the sound of someone entering her house at about 3:30 a.m. Thursday. She "verbally challenged" the intruder, who left without taking anything, according to a police statement. She did not physically confront or see the subject, police said.

Emerald was ordered held on $500 cash bail and is scheduled for another court hearing Feb. 8, according to police. He also is being held for alleged violations of probation stemming from convictions in Barnstable and Orleans District courts in 2010 and 2011.

The Dennis police are working with several other local police departments to identify the owners of the recovered goods. Anyone with information is asked to contact Hornby at 774-352-1517 or chornby@town.dennis.ma.us.